Exposition of John, Chapter 7 · Verse 22
Ver. 38. He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water.
Chriſt inſiſts upon this promiſe and enlargeth it. And 1. he ſhewes that the way of thirſty ſouls coming to him, is by beleeving. 2. He explains this drinking, that it ſhall not be a petty refreſhment for a ſeaſon, but the beleever ſhall get Chriſt himſelf, and the graces of his Spirit, to dwell in him as a full fountain, and to flow forth for refreſhing of himſelf and others. 3. This is further confirmed from the promiſes in Scripture ratifying this offer of Chriſts. He points at no particular place of Scriptu…e, but comprehends all which ſpeak of the graces of the Spirit under the name of waters, refreſhing and watering barren ground, of which ſee Iſa. 44.3. and 58 11. and elſewhere. Doctrine 1. The right way of a thirſty ſouls coming to Chriſt for ref…eſhment, is by beleeving; for, ſo is it explained, He that beleeveth on me. And albeit many other exerciſes and duties be required, yet this is onelyonly named, 1. Becauſe it muſt be the root from which the reſt muſt ſpring. 2. Becauſe nothing we have can be right, or acceptable, without faith laying hold on Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe. Humility without it, will prove but diſcouragement, a ſtudy of holineſſe and conformity to the Law, but a ſtumbling at his righteouſneſſe, Rom 9.31, 32. and diligence will but tend to ſecurity. 3. Becauſe albeit a needy ſoul ſhould be ſtripped of all things beſide, yet that will be no warrant to caſt away confidence, but they muſt cheriſh it ſo much the more. Doctrine 2. As we are to reſt upon no conſolation, as ſure, but what is recorded and grounded in Scripture; So it may encourage men to beleeve in Chriſt, that in him, and by him, we are ſure to finde the accompliſhment of all that the Scripture promiſeth; for; he maketh here a promiſe that it ſhall be with beleevers, as the Scripture hath ſaid. 3. He doth not name the particular Scripture, not onelyonly becauſe there are many of them, (as hath been ſaid) and he would have his people ſtudy and ſearch them all out, that they may ſee the fulneſſe of the promiſe; But further, by this he would teach, that he would have his people well acquainted with Scripture, that they may know where the promiſes are to be found; Therefore doth he onelyonly name the Scripture in general, here and elſewhere, onelyonly Acts 13.33. we finde the Pſalme quoted. 4. It may encourage us to ſtudy much acquaintance with Scripture, that the ſubſtance of the Goſpel, and of Chriſts riches, are treaſured up and held forth, even in the writings of the Old Teſtament; Therefore alſo when Chriſt maketh his richeſt offers, he needs ſay no more, but that he will do as the Scripture bath ſaid. The ſumme of all Religion is comprehended in the writings of Moſes, and therefore Chriſt doth prove, even the reſurrection, out of them. Matth. 22, 31, 32, The Prophets are Gods own Commentary upon theſe, and the application of the doctrine thereof unto ſeveral conditions of men in ſeveral times: and the New Teſtament is a clear unveiling of Moſes face, and holds out the accompliſhment of what he foreſhadowed. 5. Such as out of ſenſe of need, come to Chriſt, will not onelyonly finde ſome particular refreſhment or for awhile onelyonly, but they will get a fountain to be in them; for, it is not a drink only to cool them in this or that particular thirſt, but a river put in them to flow out. They get a ſeed of God to abide in them. 6. Chriſts Spirit, and the refreſhments thereof, are ſo communicate unto beleevers as they take deep root in them; for they are in their belly, or their heart, or very inward parts, where meat is ſwallowed down to be digeſted into our ſubſtance. And this doth difference it not onelyonly from prophetick illumination, which came upon men from without; and which a Balaam may have; But from the motions that came upon rotten-hearted ſinners, who for all they get, yet continue dark in themſelves like the Moon. 7. The Lords allowance to his people is very liberal and bountiful, and abundantly ſufficient to ſatisfie them; for, albeit the great Ocean of refreſhment abide ſtill in himſelf, yet he lets out unto them no leſſe then a river, yea and rivers, every grace flowing out like a river, as is ſaid of peace. Iſa. 48.18. See Pſal. 36.8. 8. The Spirit of Chriſt doth remain and abide perpetually in beleevers, to whom he is given; for theſe are rivers of living water, not only becauſe they are ſtill freſh and make lively, but becauſe they are a ſpring, which doth perpetually flow out, and run, and therefore is called living. Gen. 26.19 in the Original. See Zech. 14.8. And this doth difference it from the wickeds puddle, which doth runne dry, and from what the temporary receiveth. And albeit the regenerate man finde many intermiſſions of the refreſhments of this ſpring, through his own pride, unbelief, and idleneſſe; yet the fountain remaineth ſtill, 1 John 3.9. 9. Where the Spirit and the graces thereof are received by a beleever, and entertained by faith, the ſweet influences thereof will ſlow forth for the refreſhing of themſelves and others in their ſtations, and that with much refreſhment and life; for, the rivers of living waters ſhall flow, and that out of his belly, which is the ſeat of delight, Job 20.15. As a ſpring ſends forth ſtreames to water the ground about it, and as the heart of man ſendeth forth life and refreſhment to every faculty and member, and as a General in an army ſends out reſerves to reinforce his parties; So graces of the the Spirit in beleevers will flow forth into their behaviour and carriage, to make their heart be ſtrong, to make their tongue to drop what is ſavoury, to make their feet like hindes feet, &c. and to refreſh and gain ground upon others.